Discernment Counseling
Figuring out the next best step…
If you or your spouse is considering divorce but is not entirely sure that’s the best path, you’re in a tough spot. And Discernment Counseling is designed for you.
It’s a chance to slow down, take a breath, and look at your options for your marriage.
Discernment Counseling is a new way of helping couples in which one person is “leaning out” of the relationship and is not sure that regular marriage counseling would help. The other is “leaning in” – that is, interested in rebuilding the marriage.
I’ll help you decide whether to try to restore your marriage to health, move toward divorce, or take a time out and decide later.
Gain clarity and confidence about your direction.
We do this by gaining a deeper understanding of your relationship and its future possibilities.
The goal is not to solve your marital problems, but to see if they are solvable. I treat the couples I support with compassion and respect, no matter how you’re feeling about your marriage at the moment: no bad guys and good guys.
You will come in as a couple, but the most important work occurs in the one-to-one conversations with the counselor. Why? Because you are starting in different places.
I’ll also respect your reasons for divorce while trying to open up the possibility of restoring the marriage to health.
It’s essential that each of you sees your own contributions to the problems and the possible solutions. This will be useful in future relationships, even if this one ends.
Discernment Counseling is not suited for these situations:
- When one spouse has already made a final decision to divorce
- When one spouse is coercing the other to participate
- When there is a danger of domestic violence
How to move forward…
Discernment Counseling is short term, just 1-5 sessions, and usually leads to a decision to either divorce or give the marriage a major last effort, with a clear agenda for change.
If you or your spouse are considering divorce but aren’t sure, please reach out for a free consultation.
It’s a no-pressure conversation where I can answer any additional questions you may have and learn more about you.